FAQ: What to expect from the new www.uticaOD.com

To better familiarize you with what’s coming, here’s an overview in a question-and-answer format that will address many questions you might have.

Why the big change?
Gannett, our former parent company, used one computer program for the Web site while GateHouse, our new owner, uses another content management system. Under the terms of our transition agreement with Gannett, we have to be off its system by month’s end.

The change gave us a chance to revisit how our site looks. It allowed us to think through what will work best for readers.

In a nutshell, what does the redesign do?

It better organizes content currently offered on uticaOD.com. We’ve added new features on a constant basis and the result is a site that has had features grafted on an existing framework that wasn’t really designed to handle them. Over time this has resulted in a somewhat unwieldy site from a readers’ point of view.

The redesign will highlight multimedia content in a way we haven’t been able to do previously. It also will play up our efforts to constantly update news on the site.

There are only a few stories on the home page. Is the full news report online?
The home page has been “de-cluttered.” But most features will be available on the site. By clicking on prominent links, readers will be able to quickly navigate uticaOD.com to find all the news content they currently enjoy.

Obituary information, which is one of our most heavily visited features, can be reached through a link at the top of the home page. A fuller list of local news items can be reached through tabbed links in the same area.

Are new features being added?

The site update includes quick links that will allow readers to sign up for RSS feeds and e-mail newsletters.

There’s an easier format for e-mailing stories to friends and colleagues. Readers will find this link prominently displayed with every article.

Can I still find real estate, automotive and other classified advertising?

Links to all of our current offerings will appear at the top of the Web page, including links to our new car site.

Can I subscribe to the newspaper from the Web site?

Visitors will be able to subscribe and handle delivery issues from the Web site.

What’s not going be included?

We’ll offer seven-day archives of stories appearing on the site. We won’t initially be able to offer content that extends further back. We hope to resolve this and offer fuller archives within a few weeks.

Readers won’t be able to use a Web interface to order photo reprints. We’ll add that feature back soon. If there is a photo request, contact Bill Cannon, our multimedia editor, at 792-5038, or e-mail the request to wcannon@utica.gannett.com.

Some deep site content, such as community guides and older multimedia presentations won’t appear. We’ll migrate the features onto the site as we work through this transition.

Will Story Chat disappear?

Last year we offered readers the chance to comment on articles appearing on the Web site. Readers have embraced this feature, and we are committed to maintaining forums on the new site.

Story Chat users will be able to use the current forums for about a month at which time Zope will provide a new forum format. When that happens, current users will need to re-register to use the new forums. We won’t be able to migrate the old forum content to the new forums once we make the switch.

If I have a question or a complaint, to whom should it be directed?

Online Editor Fran Perritano (fperrita@utica.gannett.com, 792-5086), is the key newsroom contact to answer questions. Assisting him after 4 p.m. will be Online Reporter Jessica Ryen Doyle (jryen@utica.gannett.com,792-5049). Online Producer Peter Franchell will be working weekdays (pfranchell@utica.gannett.com,
792-4971). Online Operations Manager Scott DeNoon is handling many of the
more technical issues. He can be reached at sdenoon@utica.gan¬
nett.com, or 792-4929.

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